Washington (CNN) - House Speaker John Boehner threw in the towel on Tuesday.

After multiple attempts to lead his members to force some sort of concession in return for raising the nation’s debt limit, Boehner allowed a vote on a so-called “clean” debt limit increase that passed by a 221-201 margin before the House left town until the end of the month.

Washington (CNN) - Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky told a crowd of social conservatives Wednesday that fighting within the GOP is for the best.

Although Paul pointed out that the debate should not be “impolite” or “rude,” his comments go against what certain Republicans in office have said in the past: That party fighting and vocal disagreement only help Democrats and President Barack Obama.

Washington (CNN) – The door the White House appears to have opened to a short-term debt ceiling increase may be a temporary way out of the standoff, a senior House Republican told CNN.

The Republicans may be willing to go for a short-term debt ceiling increase as long as the president agrees to use that time to negotiate, the source told CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash.

Washington (CNN) - The Senate's Democratic leadership is expected to offer a debt ceiling bill that would not include any of the policy changes or spending cuts demanded by Republicans, a Senate Democratic leadership aide told CNN.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could file the bill as early as Tuesday, according to the aide.

(CNN) - While the White House vows it doesn't want to set a precedent negotiating policy proposals to be included in a debt ceiling increase — calling it extortion - there have been discussions in the past surrounding such a hike and Congress has attached other issues to raising the limit a number of times.

The House and Senate, in November 1989, agreed as part of a debt ceiling increase to repeal a tax rule approved three years earlier barring discrimination in employer-paid health insurance plans.

The White House continues to issue dire warnings about the economic consequences should Congress fail to raise the debt ceiling this month. President Barack Obama told Wall Street to be "concerned" and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Congress is "playing with fire."

Washington (CNN) - Democrats who lead the Senate are expected this week to take up a debt ceiling bill that would not include any policy changes or spending cuts demanded by Republicans, according to a Senate Democratic leadership aide.

Senate Majority Leader Reid could file the so-called "clean" debt ceiling bill as early as Monday, the aide said.FULL POST